FRANCE: Zhang Ziyi and her Chinese co-stars showcase 'The Banquet' at the Cannes Film Festival

Record ID: 561548

  • Title: FRANCE: Zhang Ziyi and her Chinese co-stars showcase 'The Banquet' at the Cannes Film Festival
  • Date: 25th May 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ACTRESS ZHOU XUN, SAYING: "I did research, I looked at pictures and at books. In general I think when you make a costume drama like this you are automatically in a time tunnel of sorts. You automatically are in the dynasty and when you put on the clothing and when you put on the hair your acting starts to slow down and you do take on the role - the habits of a character like that who lives in a time like this."
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2006 13:00
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  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA4KQZLLAM5RCQWF83JF3PM6SCP
  • Story Text: The director of 'The Banquet', Feng Xiaogang, showcased scenes from the film on the Cannes Film Festival circuit on Tuesday (May 23). He was joined by cast members Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun and Daniel Wu.
    Chinese cinema has come under the spotlight during this year's festival after the film 'Summer Palace', showing in competition at Cannes, fell foul of Chinese censors back home.
    Approval by China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television is pivotal for Chinese filmmakers because, if a movie is shown outside the country before it has their approval, the board may try to block its release in China.
    Last week Chinese director Lou Ye said he would consider altering his new film which features explicit sex and political drama, to satisfy the Chinese censors' demands.
    Back in Cannes, the director and actors of 'The Banquet' were reluctant to be drawn into the controversy. Instead they shied away from answering a journalist's question whether or not they feared their own film would come under the same scrutiny in China.
    "We see more nudity in this film than we were used to in Chinese films, so is there still, in general, a problem with that? Is this going to be a bit touchy in China or do you think you'll be ok?" asked the reporter during Tuesday's news conference.
    After an attempt by the chair to change the line of questioning actor Daniel Wu said,
    "I don't think this is related to our film actually."
    Speaking after the news conference Wu said the two films were separate entities and he had yet to view 'Summer Palace'.
    "I wasn't trying to censor him (the journalist)," said Wu.
    "I was just trying to make a point that the two films are not related in any way. So there is no point in trying a comparison, you know. There is censorship, censorship in a way that there are certain topics that the Chinese public have not been ready for because it is a Communist country and so there are certain topics there they are sensitive about and I think they have a right to be able to judge their art in some ways and what the world sees of it, in some ways," he added.
    Returning to the aesthetics of 'The Banquet', Wu delivered behind the scenes insight into the spectacular special effects featured in the film - particularly when characters are suspended during their martial arts movements.
    "Of course it is done with wire work which a lot of Western audiences are now familiar with through 'Matrix' and all that kind of stuff. And also the choreographer was Yuen Wo-Ping who did 'The Matrix'. So I think if you've seen the making of those films you know how it's done - a lot of wire work, a lot of people pulling you, flying all over the place. It is not easy work at all," said Wu.
    Despite the hard work, Wu said he enjoyed working on the set of 'The Banquet'.
    "I'm lucky in that I've been learning marshall arts since I was eleven and so I was able to use my sort-of hobby as a talent in this film and to use this character and fight around with swords all day long. It's a great experience you know," he said.
    The period drama has been billed as an Asian 'Macbeth' with all the trappings of desire, deceit and treachery.
    It's set in ancient China during the 'Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms' (907-960 AD). Publicity material for film describes it as a time when dynasties succeeded each other in rapid succession and warlords vied for independent states.
    There is also a love twist. The beautiful empress, played by Zhang, is forced to marry the new emperor. But her heart belongs to her former lover, played by Daniel Wu, who due to her marriage becomes her stepson.
    To add to the intrigue is Zhou Xun's character, the daughter of a conniving Grand Marshall. She is so in love with the prince that she's willing to sacrifice her life for him.
    Zhou found the elaborate costumes and sets helped immerse her into character.
    "I think when you make a costume drama like this you are automatically in a time tunnel of sorts. You automatically are in the dynasty and when you put on the clothing and when you put on the hair your acting starts to slow down and you do take on the role."
    Feng Xiaogang, already a top grossing director in China, looks forward to the opportunity to charm a wider audience.
    When asked how he would like Western audiences to receive the 'The Banquet', Feng said,
    "I have always made comedies back home and so my films have never traveled ,so through this film I hope that the (Western) audience will actually get to know me."
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